Here’s When and Where to See the Perseid Meteor Shower in Maine

Our Earth is passing through the path of Comet Swift-Tuttle from July 17 to August 24. Tonight (August 11) and early tomorrow morning (August 12) will be the brightest of the entire cycle, so this is your chance to see an impressive meteor shower in the Northeast sky.

The meteor shower earns it's name from the constellation Perseus. The meteor shower appears to radiate from Perseus in the northern sky.

The moon will interfere with too much light until it sets at 1 a.m. so although some meteors will be passing through the sky, you're more like to see them in the wee hours of August 12. Of course, because of the light pollution, it'll be easier to see the meteor shower in the suburbs or countryside. You've gotta give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness, too, so try to arrive about 30 minutes before the peak of the shower.

Staff writer Sarah Lewin at Space.com says that Comet Swift-Tuttle is the largest object to pass Earth on a regular basis. "It last passed nearby Earth during its orbit around the sun in 1992, and the next time will be in 2126. But it won't be forgotten in the meantime, because Earth passes through the dust and debris it leaves behind every year, creating the annual Perseid meteor shower," Lewin says.